Awara

This is the Rabbit’s Foot Fern Davallia canariensis, which likes to grow in the warmer and damper parts of the island. It particularly likes dry stone walls, barrel-tile roofs and cliffs. As you can see, the name comes from the root, which is very pretty. I believe that the Awara used to make gofio from it, and so did more modern Palmerans when there was nothing better available, although I’m…

For centuries, goatherds have brought their flocks to the Roque de los Muchachos, the highest point on the island of La Palma. As the lower pastures dried out in summer, they moved to fresh pastures on higher ground. These days, farmers can drive home for the night, but of course that wasn’t the case 50 years ago, much less 500 years ago. They came up some time in June, and…

Roque Teneguía is an outcrop of clinkstone (phonolite) among the basalt gravel (lapilli) below San Antonio volcano in Fuencaliente. It looks quite striking, because it’s so much paler than the surrounding lava field. It’s also slightly rosey. The gravel around the base is from 1677. I’m not sure how deep it is, but I know in some other places it’s 2 metres deep or more, so Roque Teneguía must…

A huge crowd turned out to see the statue of the virgen go back up to Las Nieves. I got to the El Roque cave by 9:30, and I had trouble finding a good spot for photos. The cave was on the south side of the ravine, full of Awara. The road, the crowd and I were on the north side. The statue arrived at 10:45, and the performance…